The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-16
AS HE HAD LIVED.
Tho Grand Wind Up of e Mighty
Hunter
II. QucJ IN Detroit free Press.

NJ
Dsv has finally broken, and there is red
depi.,c of the eastern Sky. the faint Pushes
deepen, the purple fades to gold, the gold
Turns to Are and the topmost rim of the sun
rises from the plain and Furnishes the crags
and reaks of the Powder River Noun
tains as if preparing them for temples of
worship.
Five minutes later and great continent
Is beamed upon by the full sun of a glorious
morning i'll Indian summer.
You have seen grand old horSe-almoSt
blind--almost ready to die from old age,
rise from his grassy bed of a summer morn
irg2 The morn seemed to put new life into
him There is fire in his eyes as he filings
his head about and shifts at the sunshine,
and for the moment he is young and strong
again.
foothills, rises grand old man, and, as he
draws himself up TO his full height and
faces the glorious east, his eyes grow bright
his muscles culver, and the strength comes
hack to every limb But it is not for long
The sun is scarcity foot above the plain
when the tall form stoops, the limbs begin tC
weaken, and the fire dies out of the eyes and
is replaced by dull stare.
It is the wreck of a mana mighty hunter
and fighter. These plains and mountains
and valleys have been his home for a score
of years. Face-chest-l imbs-everywhere
about him, are scars of wounds dealt by
savage or beast. The going down of the sun
has found him alone; the dawn of day has
found him solitary Break "a mans heart
and he turns from the world and hates vice
and virtue alike.
He is old and his strength has wanei.
Death has been long in coming, but it has
drawn nigh at last The chill of death
driqes some men back to the world, to die
with tender hands about them. Others defy
the grin monster to the last, and they die
alone, upwept, uncared for.
sit is my last day on earth' So says
the grand old man as he slowly turns on
his heel to look about him. The vision
that could once discern moving buffalo
half a score of miles away can now
scarcely make out the ragged trees across
the little valley. The arms which could
have once lifted the most powerful
warrior high in the air for a dash tc
death. can now scarcely bring the rife to al
aim. He has run his race and his time has
come
The sun climbs up and up, and the day
bursts forth into full strength. The noun
tains stand out with such. ruggedness anG
rrandness as never before. The valleys and
Rillsides never held the sunshine as to
day. Nature is to give the old man grand
funeral
And the sun dimbs higher and it is mid
day
And how should he die-one whose sum
mels and winters-whOse months and years
have been pass,d in the sunshine of the
sterile plains-in the shadows of the rugged
mountains-with the growl of the grizzly
and the shout of thu red warrior in his ears
In the dramas of tie stage men die as they
have lived; who MOI i'll real life!
The old man is ready. Rife in hand
his grizzly locks hdf hidden by his fur caI
his strength coming back as if he haG
been born again, le seats himself upon &
great rock and seas the winding valley al
his feet God give him back his sight once
more. and no creeping thing escapes his
vision. To the light all is well. TC
.',e left-wait! Ell half rises for better
iccl,.
Enemies-warrhrsl
Have they got he word that to-day is the
old mans last day on earth, and are they tc
sit in front and APPLAUD as the curtain goes
down! 1t is well. That long rifle has sent
more than one Warrior to death Thai
great frame, nov so rapidly wasting
bears the scar of hllet and tomahawk ano
knife.
A dozen warTiGs-a war party bent OF
rapine and murder--come galloping swiftly
10 the valley. Til old fighter grows young
in years as he watches the advance. The
thrill of etctemaU brought the blood to
his cheek-the whisper Of danger strings
every nerve Fac has been kind to him
as he has lived soshall he die. Would you
have the heao of score of battles die in his
bed, alone and ulseen or in front of hi!
foes fighting Calamity to the last, and
his death aIplaued even by those who slew
himl
All! they lavecaught sight r" him. The
gaunt figuI, Outlined against H." sky IS {
familiar one II has been feared for it!
strength, hard for the destruction it has
wrought. Ekape is cut off to the right--tC
the left-in ont The background is rug
ged hillside, b which the warriors are more
at home thathe hunter. And SO shouts OF
defiance anJxultation fill the air as the
warriors discount and advance.
Make real now! The drama of life is
near its clo5 The life and strength which
excitementrought are beginning to die
away. ThI shouts come family to hi
ears: therci blur before his eyes; the
Lands Wild hold the rife tremble witt
weakness. beath is sweeping up from the
valley in ikvar plumes-death is creeping
down frorihc hillside with swift step but
invisible ttn.
And nothc shouts Of the warriors are
nearer anlouder, and their rifles are blaz
ing DEATH the hunter, and he turns hi;
face to hden and pleads:
"a feyASt seconds of strength and sigh
and anfady to goin
They ;lgiyen him-his eyes clear-his
form grid erect-he is the grand old fighter
once mo- Up comes the rihe-up--up-
his eye tleIs the sights the weapon is helC
as firm rock, AID when the red fame
leaps on chief filings up his arms and utter
his deatry.
The dina has ended and the curtain ha
gone did. The warriors creep nearer anC
nearer they wonder and are mystified
They fly reached the rock to find the OLE
man lyt dead, his face upturned to The sun
whose ing will see him no more. There j
TO bio no wound. They gather abou
him lifhildren about mystery, and the.
whisplo each other:
"Itb not for us to STAY him. The Grea
Spritve him his life, and the Great Spiri
took way!"